Rear collision avoidance system for vehicle

ABSTRACT

A collision avoidance system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of and rearward of the vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. Responsive to image processing of captured image data, the collision avoidance system is operable to determine an approach of a vehicle rearward of the vehicle and to determine an excitation level depending on a difference between the speed of the approaching vehicle and the speed of the equipped vehicle and a distance between the approaching vehicle and the equipped vehicle. Responsive to the determined excitation level, the collision avoidance system may provide an alert to the driver of one or both vehicles, prepare for impact, control a vehicle braking system, vehicle steering system and/or vehicle acceleration system and/or communicate information to the approaching vehicle via a telematics system.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/810,407, filed Apr. 10, 2013, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a vehicle vision system and, more particularly, to a vehicle vision system that utilizes one or more cameras at the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known. Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,949,331; 5,670,935; and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a collision avoidance system or vision system or imaging system for a vehicle that utilizes one or more cameras (preferably one or more CMOS cameras) to capture image data representative of images exterior of the vehicle, and provides an alert to the driver of the vehicle and/or controls one or more functions or systems of the vehicle responsive to a determination that a rearward approaching vehicle is likely to impact or collide with the subject vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a collision avoidance system of a vehicle comprises a camera disposed at the equipped vehicle, with the camera having a field of view exterior of and rearward of the equipped vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. Responsive to image processing of captured image data, the collision avoidance system is operable to determine an approach of another vehicle rearward of the equipped vehicle and to determine an excitation level depending on (i) a difference between the speed of the approaching vehicle and the speed of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a distance between the approaching vehicle and the equipped vehicle. Responsive to a determined excitation level, the collision avoidance system is operable to at least one of (a) provide an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle (such as a visible and/or audible alert), (b) provide an alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle (such as via control of one or more exterior lights of the equipped vehicle), (c) prepare the equipped vehicle for impact (such as via pretensioning of the seatbelts worn by the occupant or occupants of the equipped vehicle or via adjusting of the seats or headrests of the equipped vehicle), (d) control a braking system of the equipped vehicle, (e) control a steering system of the equipped vehicle and (f) control an acceleration system of the equipped vehicle. Responsive to a determined excitation level, the collision avoidance system is operable to at least one of (i) provide or transmit or communicate an alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle via a telematics system and (ii) communicate information to the approaching vehicle via a telematics system (such as sharing relative speed and distance information or data and determining respective collision avoidance paths for the equipped vehicle and approaching vehicle).

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle equipped with a collision avoidance system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows Table 1, which shows which ‘Excitation Level’ may be engaged at which distances respectively to a speed difference; and

FIG. 3 shows Table 2, which shows the measures which the system may take at the respective excitation levels shown in Table 1 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or object detection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exterior of the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display images and to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes an image processor or image processing system that is operable to receive image data from one or more cameras and provide an output to a display device for displaying images representative of the captured image data. Optionally, the vision system may provide a top down or bird's eye or surround view display and may provide a displayed image that is representative of the subject vehicle, and optionally with the displayed image being customized to at least partially correspond to the actual subject vehicle.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system 12 that includes at least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera, such as a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera 14 a (and the system may optionally include multiple exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a forwardly facing camera 14 b at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and a sidewardly/rearwardly facing camera 14 c, 14 b at respective sides of the vehicle), which captures images exterior of the vehicle, with the camera having a lens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane or imager of the camera (FIG. 1). The vision system 12 includes a control or electronic control unit (ECU) or processor 18 that is operable to process image data captured by the cameras and may provide displayed images at a display device 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle (although shown in FIG. 1 as being part of or incorporated in or at an interior rearview mirror assembly 20 of the vehicle, the control and/or the display device may be disposed elsewhere at or in the vehicle). The data transfer or signal communication from the camera to the ECU may comprise any suitable data or communication link, such as a vehicle network bus or the like of the equipped vehicle.

Common systems utilize forward directed sensors to detect vehicles driving in front of the subject or host or equipped vehicle in the same direction and lane. The systems are set up to target a certain distance from the leading vehicle at which they stay during acceleration and deceleration maneuvers of the leading vehicle ahead of the subject vehicle. With such systems, the driver can focus on keeping the host vehicle in its lane. This function is typically referred to as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

Similar systems are provided to interact by warning and braking of the subject or host or equipped vehicle when the driver is driving the vehicle (without following another vehicle in front) towards and closing to a leading vehicle or traffic ahead of the subject vehicle, where the traffic may be standing still or moving much slower than the subject vehicle (such as in a traffic jam or the like). This function is typically referred to as Brake Assist.

These known systems do not provide assistance to a driver of a vehicle that is at the back end of a traffic jam with other vehicles behind the subject vehicle and possibly closing at high speed. In such situations, the driver of the subject vehicle may not notice the rearward approach of another vehicle or may have to hope that the following drivers (or their Brake Assist systems) will brake early enough to come to a stop before a collision or impact with the subject vehicle occurs.

The present invention provides a rear collision warning and assist system that utilizes a rearward facing sensor or camera (and optionally a surround vision system or front and rear vision system, optionally including rear depth and front depth sensors), and optionally utilizing a car2car (v2v) communication system or equipment or the like. Such car2car (v2v)/car2X (v2x) communication systems utilize telematics to enable wireless transmission of data from the equipped host vehicle to another vehicle or car and/or to an infrastructural system (such as a traffic light control system or a traffic management system or the like). Correspondingly, data may be telematically communicated to the host equipped vehicle from other vehicles and/or from an infrastructural system or the like. Such data may comprise the likes of traffic condition data, traffic density data, weather data, road condition data (such as, for example, black ice ahead on the road being travelled) and/or the like.

In accordance with the present invention, the host equipped vehicle may transmit an alert or warning that an immediately following other vehicle is tailgating and/or is in hazard of colliding with the host vehicle, and that warning may be transmitted via a car2car/car2x telematics system to the immediately following (tailgating) other vehicle, in order to (i) alert the driver of that other vehicle to the tailgating/hazardous existing condition and/or (ii) control that other vehicle to mitigate or reduce the tailgating/hazardous condition.

The rear collision warning and assist system of the present invention is operable to determine the difference in speed of the subject vehicle to a closing vehicle that is closing in on or approaching the subject vehicle from rearward of the subject vehicle, and also determines the distance from the subject vehicle to the rearward approaching vehicle. Based on such determinations, the rear collision warning and assist system tracks the incoming or rearward approaching vehicle, and may calculate the deceleration ratio, and estimates whether the incoming or approaching vehicle is likely to be able to come to a stop before reaching the subject vehicle. If, based on such determinations, the system determines that an impact is likely or imminent or unavoidable, the system also determines how high the remaining difference speed at impact would be and how much additional space the rearward approaching vehicle would need for stopping without impacting the subject vehicle. Responsive to such determinations, the rear collision warning and assist system may warn the driver of the subject vehicle of the potentially hazardous situation so that the driver may take appropriate action, or the system may undertake pre-impact measures, such as seat belt pretension and/or adjusting the vehicle seats (such as the occupied seats) to their upright position, and/or the like, and/or the system may control the subject vehicle to accelerate the vehicle automatically to reduce or lower the impact speed and to give the rearward approaching vehicle additional space for braking and slowing/stopping, particularly when there is clearance in front of the subject vehicle.

Optionally, the rear collision warning and assist system may additionally sense or determine the situation at or in neighboring or adjacent lanes at or adjacent to the subject vehicle. The system may intervene and control the subject vehicle (not just via the accelerator) by controlling a steering system or mechanism of the subject vehicle to pull over or move the subject vehicle to another free or unoccupied lane (such as the breakdown lane or the like), such as in situations where the system determines that a rear impact by a rearward approaching vehicle is imminent or otherwise unavoidable. In such situations, the rear collision warning and assist system may utilize collision avoidance path planning methods based on influence mapping, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/016,790, filed Sep. 9, 2013, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

For improving the system's prediction abilities, the rear collision warning and assist system of the present invention may optionally set up and utilize a communication channel that both vehicles (the subject vehicle and the rearward approaching vehicle) may seek and use to exchange vehicle speed and direction data and to determine and agree on collision avoidance paths for both vehicles, such as discussed below.

As shown in Table 1 (FIG. 2), the rear collision warning and assist system may set an excitation level (or degree of hazard rating) responsive to a determination of approach speed (or difference or ratio of the approaching vehicle speed to the subject vehicle speed). Table 1 shows which ‘Excitation Level’ may be engaged at which distances respectively to the speed difference ‘delta v’ (dv). Table 2 (FIG. 3) shows the measures which the system may take at the respective excitation levels shown in Table 1.

For example, the columns ‘Display’, ‘Acoustical warning’ and ‘Optical signaling’ in Table 2 may be the basic realization in response to a determination of a rearward approaching vehicle that may be likely to impact the subject or equipped vehicle. For example, a visual alert or display and/or an audible alert or acoustical warning may be provided to alert the driver of the subject vehicle that another vehicle is approaching from the rear, and the degree of the warning may increase (such as more rapid flashing or louder tone or audible signal) as the determined excitation level increases (or as the approaching vehicle gets closer to the subject vehicle and is more likely to impact the subject vehicle). Optionally, an optical signal or alert may be provided to alert drivers of other vehicles (including the driver of the determined rearward approaching vehicle) that the other vehicle is approaching the subject vehicle from the rear and in a potentially unsafe manner, with the degree of the warning (such as different exterior lights of the subject vehicle being activated or flashed, such as activation or flashing of the braking lights, the turn signal indicators, the fog lights, the reversing or backup lights, the headlights and/or the like) increasing as the determined excitation level increases.

Optionally, a ‘pre-crash intervention’ process may be provided, where the rear collision warning and assist system may, when the excitation level is determined to be relatively high, prepare the vehicle and passengers for impact. For example, and as shown in Table 2, when the excitation level is at 3, the system may bring the seats of the vehicle to an upright position, and when the excitation level is at 4 (which may be indicative of an imminent collision or impact), the system may pretension the seat belt or seat belts and/or may adjust or deploy the headrest or headrests, and/or may deploy a roll over bar or the like.

Optionally, and as also shown in Table 2, the rear collision warning and assist system of the present invention may include a ‘speed intervention’ process, where the system controls an accelerator or engine/transmission of the subject vehicle to start the engine and/or accelerate moderately or quickly and/or to downshift to a lower gear to enhance acceleration, responsive to the determined excitation level or the degree of the determined hazard. Optionally, and as also shown in Table 2, the rear collision warning and assist system may include a ‘steering intervention’ process, such as in addition to the ‘speed intervention’ function, where the system determines the clearance ahead of the subject vehicle and sidewards of the subject vehicle and may determine evasion paths for the subject vehicle, and may control the steering of the subject vehicle to follow a determined avoidance path or evasion path to avoid the rearward collision, responsive to the determined excitation level or the degree of the determined hazard. Such speed and steering intervention may be implemented when the excitation level reaches a threshold level, such as at level 2 or higher in Table 2.

Optionally, and as also shown in Table 2, the rear collision warning and assist system of the present invention may provide a remote signaling function to signal or communicate with a system or systems of the rearward approaching vehicle. For example, the rear collision warning and assist system may have or utilize a car-to-car or v2v communication system (such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/912,146, filed Dec. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 61/947,638, filed Mar. 4, 2014; and/or Ser. No. 61/947,053, filed Mar. 3, 2014, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), whereby subject vehicle information or data and approaching vehicle information or data may be exchanged and appropriate measures may be taken to avoid or mitigate the collision or impact. For example, the system may, upon detection of a rearward approaching vehicle, seek a “hand shake” with a system of the approaching vehicle and exchange speed and deceleration rates with the system of the approaching vehicle. As the excitation level (or degree of hazard or potential collision) increases (such as to a threshold level, such as at level 2 or higher in Table 2), the system may request a brake intervention to the approaching vehicle's system to activate or control the brake system of the approaching vehicle, with the requested degree of braking of the approaching vehicle increasing as the hazard or likelihood of impact increases.

Optionally, the systems of the respective vehicles may communicate to determine and agree upon respective collision avoidance paths (where the approaching vehicle may follow a path to one side or the other of the equipped vehicle or where the equipped vehicle may follow a path to one side or the other, such as responsive to a determination of which path or paths for the respective vehicles best avoids the collision of the vehicles), again depending on the determined excitation level or the degree of the determined hazard and depending on the determined available collision avoidance or collision mitigation paths of the vehicles. The systems thus may communicate or transfer vehicle inherent data and intervention coordination strategies via the optional ‘remote signaling’ function. Optionally, the system or systems may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/169,328, filed Jan. 31, 2014, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Therefore, the present invention provides a collision avoidance system that is operable to determine the presence of or approach of a rearward vehicle and determine a degree of hazard or likelihood of rear impact of the determined rearward vehicle with respect to the subject or host vehicle. The system may provide a visible and/or audible alert to the driver of the subject vehicle and/or to the driver of the approaching vehicle responsive to a determined degree of hazard or excitation level, and may control one or more systems (such as a braking system and/or steering system and/or acceleration system) of the subject vehicle to avoid or minimize or mitigate the collision or impact, depending on the determined degree of hazard or excitation level. Optionally, the system may communicate with the rearward approaching vehicle to control one or more systems of the approaching vehicle to avoid or minimize or mitigate the collision or impact, depending on the determined degree of hazard or excitation level.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processing circuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one or more of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise an EyeQ2 or EyeQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580; and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imaging sensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, such as, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (at least a 640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or the like), with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portions of the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns. Preferably, the imaging array has at least 300,000 photosensor elements or pixels, more preferably at least 500,000 photosensor elements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensor elements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, such as via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, green and blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via an RCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and control circuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and the image processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitable means for processing the images and/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/or circuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928; 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2011/028686; WO 2010/099416; WO 2012/061567; WO 2012/068331; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO 2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145313; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/145818; WO 2012/145822; WO 2012/158167; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/154919; WO 2013/019707; WO 2013/016409; WO 2013/019795; WO 2013/067083; WO 2013/070539; WO 2013/043661; WO 2013/048994; WO 2013/063014, WO 2013/081984; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/074604; WO 2013/086249; WO 2013/103548; WO 2013/109869; WO 2013/123161; WO 2013/126715; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/158592, and/or U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 14/242,038, filed Apr. 1, 2014; Ser. No. 14/229,061, filed Mar. 28, 2014; Ser. No. 14/343,937, filed Mar. 10, 2014; Ser. No. 14/343,936, filed Mar. 10, 2014; Ser. No. 14/195,135, filed Mar. 3, 2014; Ser. No. 14/195,136, filed Mar. 3, 2014; Ser. No. 14/191,512, filed Feb. 27, 2014; Ser. No. 14/183,613, filed Feb. 19, 2014; Ser. No. 14/169,329, filed Jan. 31, 2014; Ser. No. 14/169,328, filed Jan. 31, 2014; Ser. No. 14/163,325, filed Jan. 24, 2014; Ser. No. 14/159,772, filed Jan. 21, 2014; Ser. No. 14/107,624, filed Dec. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 14/102,981, filed Dec. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 14/102,980, filed Dec. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 14/098,817, filed Dec. 6, 2013; Ser. No. 14/097,581, filed Dec. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 14/093,981, filed Dec. 2, 2013; Ser. No. 14/093,980, filed Dec. 2, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,573, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,574, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,575, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/082,577, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 14/071,086, filed Nov. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 14/076,524, filed Nov. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 14/052,945, filed Oct. 14, 2013; Ser. No. 14/046,174, filed Oct. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 14/016,790, filed Oct. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 14/036,723, filed Sep. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 14/016,790, filed Sep. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 14/001,272, filed Aug. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 13/970,868, filed Aug. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 13/964,134, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 13/942,758, filed Jul. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 13/942,753, filed Jul. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 13/927,680, filed Jun. 26, 2013; Ser. No. 13/916,051, filed Jun. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 13/894,870, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 13/887,724, filed May 6, 2013; Ser. No. 13/852,190, filed Mar. 28, 2013; Ser. No. 13/851,378, filed Mar. 27, 2013; Ser. No. 13/848,796, filed Mar. 22, 2012; Ser. No. 13/847,815, filed Mar. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 13/800,697, filed Mar. 13, 2013; Ser. No. 13/785,099, filed Mar. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 13/779,881, filed Feb. 28, 2013; Ser. No. 13/774,317, filed Feb. 22, 2013; Ser. No. 13/774,315, filed Feb. 22, 2013; Ser. No. 13/681,963, filed Nov. 20, 2012; Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012; Ser. No. 13/653,577, filed Oct. 17, 2012; and/or Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/973,922, filed Apr. 2, 2014; Ser. No. 61/972,708, filed Mar. 31, 2014; Ser. No. 61/972,707, filed Mar. 31, 2014; Ser. No. 61/969,474, filed Mar. 24, 2014; Ser. No. 61/955,831, filed Mar. 20, 2014; Ser. No. 61/952,335, filed Mar. 13, 2014; Ser. No. 61/952,334, filed Mar. 13, 2014; Ser. No. 61/950,261, filed Mar. 10, 2014; Ser. No. 61/950,261, filed Mar. 10, 2014; Ser. No. 61/947,638, filed Mar. 4, 2014; Ser. No. 61/947,053, filed Mar. 3, 2014; Ser. No. 61/942,568, filed Feb. 19, 2014; Ser. No. 61/935,485, filed Feb. 4, 2014; Ser. No. 61/935,057, filed Feb. 3, 2014; Ser. No. 61/935,056, filed Feb. 3, 2014; Ser. No. 61/935,055, filed Feb. 3, 2014; Ser. 61/931,811, filed Jan. 27, 2014; Ser. No. 61/919,129, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,130, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,131, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,147, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/919,138, filed Dec. 20, 2013, Ser. No. 61/919,133, filed Dec. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 61/918,290, filed Dec. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/915,218, filed Dec. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/912,146, filed Dec. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 61/911,666, filed Dec. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/911,665, filed Dec. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/905,461, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/905,462, filed Nov. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/901,127, filed Nov. 7, 2013; Ser. No. 61/895,610, filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/895,609, filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/879,837, filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/879,835, filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/878,877, filed Sep. 17, 2013; Ser. No. 61/875,351, filed Sep. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/869,195, filed. Aug. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,835, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,836, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,837, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,838, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/856,843, filed Jul. 22, 2013, Ser. No. 61/845,061, filed Jul. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,630, filed Jul. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,173, filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,171, filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/842,644, filed Jul. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/840,542, filed Jun. 28, 2013; Ser. No. 61/838,619, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/838,621, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/837,955, filed Jun. 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/836,900, filed Jun. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/836,380, filed Jun. 18, 2013; Ser. No. 61/833,080, filed Jun. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/830,375, filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/830,377, filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/825,752, filed May 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/825,753, filed May 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/823,648, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/823,644, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/821,922, filed May 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/819,835, filed May 6, 2013; Ser. No. 61/819,033, filed May 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/816,956, filed Apr. 29, 2013; Ser. No. 61/815,044, filed Apr. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/814,533, filed Apr. 22, 2013; and/or Ser. No. 61/813,361, filed Apr. 18, 2013, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system may communicate with other communication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in International Publication Nos. WO/2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associated illumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitable components, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935; 5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667; 7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454; and 6,824,281, and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO 2011/028686; and/or WO 2013/016409, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/508,840, filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S. Pat. Publication No. US 2010-0020170, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The camera or cameras may comprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or camera modules, and may utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described in U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008 and published Oct. 1, 2009 as U.S. Publication No. US-2009-0244361; and/or Ser. No. 13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The imaging array sensor may comprise any suitable sensor, and may utilize various imaging sensors or imaging array sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577; 7,004,606; 7,720,580; and/or 7,965,336, and/or International Publication Nos. WO/2009/036176 and/or WO/2009/046268, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may be implemented and operated in connection with various vehicular vision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles of such other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149; and/or 7,526,103, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176; and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly or rearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; and/or 7,859,565, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitching aid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lane change assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blind spot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems of the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980, filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device for internal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268; and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system for determining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, such as a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for the imaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features, such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technology and aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,480,149; and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displaying images captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by the driver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating the vehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a video display device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror display systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitable devices and systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compass display systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252; and/or 6,642,851, and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 01043566, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen or device may be operable to display images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (such as responsive to the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reverse gear position or the like) to assist the driver in backing up the vehicle, and optionally may be operable to display the compass heading or directional heading character or icon when the vehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when the vehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road (such as by utilizing aspects of the display system described in International Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and a rearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of a top-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround view at the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO 2011/028686; WO2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/145822; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/086249; and/or WO 2013/109869, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of and behind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925; 7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or 6,690,268, and/or in U.S. Publication Nos. US-2006-0061008 and/or US-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The display is viewable through the reflective element when the display is activated to display information. The display element may be any type of display element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, a light emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, an electroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD) element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor (TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to display various information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in a multi-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger side inflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/or the like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on the substrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide a desired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a blue colored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036; and/or 7,274,501, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs may be associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example, a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or a garage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessory or system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessory module or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or console of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888; 6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742; and/or 6,124,886, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A collision avoidance system of a vehicle, said collision avoidance system comprising: a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said collision avoidance system, said camera having a field of view exterior of and rearward of the equipped vehicle; a plurality of other sensors disposed at the equipped vehicle so as to sense forwardly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle, said plurality of other sensors capturing sensor data; an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera; wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine an approach of a vehicle rearward of the equipped vehicle and to determine an excitation level depending on (i) a difference between the speed of the approaching vehicle and the speed of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a distance between the approaching vehicle and the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to at least one of (a) provide an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle, (b) provide a visual alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle, (c) prepare the equipped vehicle for impact, (d) control a braking system of the equipped vehicle and (e) control an acceleration system of the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to at least one of (i) transmit an alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle via a telematics system and (ii) communicate information to the approaching vehicle via a telematics system; and wherein said collision avoidance system is operable to process sensor data captured by said plurality of other sensors to determine at least one avoidance path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow, and wherein, responsive to the determined excitation level being greater than a threshold level, said collision avoidance system controls a steering system of the equipped vehicle to follow the determined avoidance path of travel.
 2. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to transmit an alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle via the telematics system.
 3. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to communicate information to the approaching vehicle via the telematics system.
 4. The collision avoidance system of claim 3, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a first threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to communicate speed and deceleration rates to the approaching vehicle.
 5. The collision avoidance system of claim 4, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a second threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to request a brake intervention to the approaching vehicle to control the brake system of the approaching vehicle.
 6. The collision avoidance system of claim 5, wherein said collision avoidance system is operable to request an increased degree of braking of the approaching vehicle responsive to an increased determined excitation level.
 7. The collision avoidance system of claim 5, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a third threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to communicate with the approaching vehicle to determine respective collision avoidance paths for the vehicles to mitigate collision.
 8. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being indicative of an imminent collision, said collision avoidance system is operable to prepare the equipped vehicle for impact.
 9. The collision avoidance system of claim 8, wherein said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact by at least one of (i) pretensioning a seat belt of the equipped vehicle, (ii) adjusting a seat of the equipped vehicle, (iii) adjusting a seat of the equipped vehicle to an upright position, (iv) adjusting a headrest of the equipped vehicle and (v) deploying a roll over bar of the equipped vehicle.
 10. The collision avoidance system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a first threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to (a) provide an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle and (b) provide an alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle.
 11. The collision avoidance system of claim 10, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a second threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to (a) control a braking system of the equipped vehicle, (b) control the steering system of the equipped vehicle and (c) control an acceleration system of the equipped vehicle.
 12. The collision avoidance system of claim 11, wherein said collision avoidance system provides a variable visible alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle and wherein said variable visible alert at least one of (i) increases intensity as the determined excitation level increases and (ii) increases a rate of flash as the determined excitation level increases.
 13. The collision avoidance system of claim 11, wherein said collision avoidance system provides a variable visible alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle and wherein said variable visible alert at least one of (i) increases intensity as the determined excitation level increases and (ii) increases a rate of flash as the determined excitation level increases.
 14. A collision avoidance system of a vehicle, said collision avoidance system comprising: a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said collision avoidance system, said camera having a field of view exterior of and rearward of the equipped vehicle; a plurality of other sensors disposed at the equipped vehicle so as to sense forwardly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle, said plurality of other sensors capturing sensor data; an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera; wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine an approach of a vehicle rearward of the equipped vehicle and to determine an excitation level depending on (i) a difference between the speed of the approaching vehicle and the speed of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a distance between the approaching vehicle and the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to at least one of (a) control a braking system of the equipped vehicle and (b) control an acceleration system of the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level and processing of sensor data captured by said plurality of other sensors, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine an avoidance path of travel for the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to at least one of (i) transmit an alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle via a telematics system and (ii) communicate information to the approaching vehicle via a telematics system; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a first threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to (a) provide an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle and (b) provide a visible alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a second threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to control a steering system of the equipped vehicle to follow the determined avoidance path of travel; and wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a third threshold level that is indicative of an imminent collision, said collision avoidance system is operable to prepare the equipped vehicle for impact.
 15. The collision avoidance system of claim 14, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a said second threshold level between said first and third threshold levels, said collision avoidance system is operable to request a brake intervention to the approaching vehicle to control the brake system of the approaching vehicle.
 16. The collision avoidance system of claim 15, wherein said collision avoidance system is operable to request an increased degree of braking of the approaching vehicle responsive to an increased determined excitation level.
 17. The collision avoidance system of claim 14, wherein said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact by at least one of (i) pretensioning a seat belt of the equipped vehicle, (ii) adjusting a seat of the equipped vehicle to an upright position and (iii) adjusting a headrest of the equipped vehicle.
 18. A collision avoidance system of a vehicle, said collision avoidance system comprising: a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said collision avoidance system, said camera having a field of view exterior of and rearward of the equipped vehicle; a plurality of other sensors disposed at the equipped vehicle so as to sense forwardly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle, said plurality of other sensors capturing sensor data; an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera; wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine an approach of a vehicle rearward of the equipped vehicle and to determine an excitation level depending on (i) a difference between the speed of the approaching vehicle and the speed of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a distance between the approaching vehicle and the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to at least one of (i) transmit an alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle via a telematics system and (ii) communicate information to the approaching vehicle via a telematics system; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level, said collision avoidance system is operable to process sensor data captured by said plurality of other sensors to determine at least one avoidance path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a first threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to (a) provide an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle and (b) provide a visible alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle; wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a second threshold level, said collision avoidance system is operable to control a steering system of the equipped vehicle to follow the determined avoidance path of travel and wherein, while following the determined avoidance path of travel, said collision avoidance system is operable to control at least one of (a) a braking system of the equipped vehicle and (b) an acceleration system of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a third threshold level that is indicative of an imminent collision, said collision avoidance system is operable to prepare the equipped vehicle for impact.
 19. The collision avoidance system of claim 18, wherein at least one of (a) said collision avoidance system provides a variable visible alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle and wherein said variable visible alert at least one of (i) increases intensity as the determined excitation level increases and (ii) increases a rate of flash as the determined excitation level increases, and (b) said collision avoidance system provides a variable visible alert to the driver of the approaching vehicle and wherein said variable visible alert at least one of (i) increases intensity as the determined excitation level increases and (ii) increases a rate of flash as the determined excitation level increases.
 20. The collision avoidance system of claim 18, wherein, responsive to a determined excitation level being at a threshold level between said first and third threshold levels, said collision avoidance system is operable to request a brake intervention to the approaching vehicle to control the brake system of the approaching vehicle, and wherein said collision avoidance system is operable to request an increased degree of braking of the approaching vehicle responsive to an increased determined excitation level. 